Golf clubs have been the subject of much technological research and advancement in recent years. For example, the market has seen dramatic changes and improvements in putter designs, golf club head designs, shafts, and grips in recent years. Additionally, other technological advancements have been made in an effort to better match the various elements and/or characteristics of the golf club and characteristics of a golf ball to a particular user's swing features or characteristics (e.g., club fitting technology, ball launch angle measurement technology, ball spin rates, etc.).
Given the recent advances in golf, there is a vast array of golf club component parts available to the golfer. For example, club heads are produced by a wide variety of manufacturers in a variety of different models. Moreover, the individual club head models may include multiple variations, such as variations in the loft angle, lie angle, offset features, weighting characteristics, etc. (e.g., draw biased club heads, fade biased club heads, neutrally weighted club heads, etc.). Additionally, the club heads may be combined with a variety of different shafts, e.g., from different manufacturers; having different stiffnesses, flex points, kick points, or other flexion characteristics, etc.; made from different materials; having different masses or dimensions; etc.). Between the available variations in shafts and club heads, there are literally hundreds of different club head/shaft combinations available to the golfer.
Club fitters and golf professionals can assist in fitting golfers with a golf club head/shaft combination that suit their swing characteristics and needs. Conventionally, however, golf club heads are permanently mounted to shafts using cements or adhesives. Therefore, to enable a golfer to test a variety of head/shaft combinations, the club fitter or professional must carry a wide selection of permanently mounted golf club head/shaft combinations (which takes up a considerable amount of storage space and inventory costs) or the club fitter or professional must build new clubs for the customer as the fitting process continues (which takes a substantial amount of time and inventory costs). The disadvantages associated with these conventional options serve to limit the choices available to the golfer during a fitting session and/or significantly increase the expense and length of a session. Moreover, a permanently bonded club head and shaft connection limits the golfer's options as play conditions change from round to round and/or as his/her swing changes over time.